Portable platform



Dec. 30, 1.941. J. F. HURLEY 2,267,865"

PORTABLE PLATFORM Filed July 29, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTO RN EYS J. F. HURLEY PORTABLE PLATFORM Filed July 29, 1940 Dec. 3o, 1941.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORN EYS Patented Dec. 30, 1941 inviten s'rres mi" @FICEk 4 Claims.

The invention relates to a portable platform and more especially to a portable knockdown platform designed for use as a boxing ring or for other purposes.-

The object of my invention is to provide means whereby a floor beam may be readily .attached or detached from an upright and rigidly held against vertical or lateral movement.

Another object of my invention is to provide a coupling for this purpose in which floor beams of different widths may be readily attached or detached; and, at the same time, provide a simple,

cheap and effective coupling having certain details of structure and combination of parts hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a fragmentary top plan View of a platform constructed in accordance with the invention and portions broken away for illustrating details of assembly of the parts of such platform.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the platform.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View showing a corner post assembly for the platform.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view thereof.

Figure 5 is a View similar to Figure 3 showing an intermediate upright or post employed in the platform.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing a mid upright yor post.

Figure 7 is a side view of the post per se of the construction shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a top plan view of that structure shown in Figure 5.

Figure 9 is a top plan view of that structure shown in Figure 6.

Figure 10 is a top plan View of the post shown in Figure '7.

Figure 11 is a detail perspective View of one of the fastening keys used in the assembly of the platform.

Figure 12 is a perspective View of a keeper member correlated with the key shown in Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of a corner post joint of the platform as exampled in Figures 3 and 4.

Similar reference characters indicate correspending parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A designates generally an erected portable knockdown platform constructed in accordance with the invention. The platform can be of any required size and shape and in this instance is of substantially square contour involving tubular corner LTI posts' Hl, outside intermediate tubular 4posts II and mid tubular posts I2, respectively, to which are separably joined short length outside and intermediate cross I beams I3 and I4, respectively.

, Each corner post has built thereon a horizontal rest shelf or ledge I5braced by underlying .bracketing wings I6, these extending radially from the' saidpost I0. The shelf and wings are welded or otherwise permanently joined with the said posts. Above vthe shelf I5 and outwardly projecting from the post I0 are attaching ears Il, these being at substantially rightangles to each other and each has perforations or holes I8 therein spaced apart with respect to each other for accommodating separable caps I3 of keys I9 which are inserted insuitable clearances or holes in the web of the beam and companion to the said perforations or holes IIl! .as formed Within the web 2D of each I beam -It adapted to be brought to rest upon the shelf I5 for having side face contact with the ear I1 next thereto upon the post lil. To maintain the keys I9 engaged as before stated, there is correlated therewith a keeper plate 2l detachably bolted at 22 directly to the post I0, the bolt 22 being of the nut-carrying type and is disposed transversely through the said post and made secure therein by the nut 23 of such bolt. This keeper 2| avoids the possibility of the working out of the beams when engaged in the manner heretofore set forth. In this manner the post and the beams I3 are separately united together.

Each intermediate post Il has built thereon a shelf 24, which extends about the post II for approximately half of the circumference thereof and upon this shelf are seated the beams I3 and I4, respectively. The post Il at three points thereof above the shelf 24 has projected radially therefrom the ears 25 provided with holes or openings 26 for the keys 21 identical to the keys I9 and these are accommodated in holes or openings companions to the openings 26 which are formed in the beams I3 and I4 in the Webs 20 thereof. Overlying the keys 21 at the heads thereof are keeper plates 28 fastened by the nut-carrying bolts 29 which are passed through the post II and in this manner the keys 21 are prevented fromworking free resulting in the disconnecting of the said beams I3 and I4 from the posts. The ears 25 are above the shelf 24 similar to the location of the ears II.

Each mid post I2 is formed with a shelf 30 which extends entirely about the same and adapted to rest thereon are the I beams I4. Above the shelf are the ears 3| accommodating the keys 32 similar to the keys I9 and 21, re-

spectively, while correlated to the said keys 32 are the keeper plates 33 fastened by a bolt 34, there being required but two keeper plates 33 arranged diametrically opposite each other and a single bolt joining the same for the fastening of the four keys 32 required to secure the beams I 4 to the ears 3l in that four beams have jointure with the said post I2. There is a jointure of three beams with the post Il and a jointure of two beams with the post Ill. In this manner a network of beam assembly is created for supporting the flooring in the erection of the platform, the flooring including a grouped series of sections 35. Each section is of rectangular shape arranged edgewise at the ends and sides thereof throughout the group. Each section 35 includes a tread plate 36 either of wood or sheet metal overlying longitudinal and transverse reinforcement strips 31, 38 and 39, respectively, which are united and prearranged with respect to each other in any suitable mannerpreferably with the tread plate 36 superimposed upon such reinforcement.

The corner posts I are of hollow construction and may be employed for supporting a lighting fixture of the overhead type. Referring more particularly to Figure 2 of the drawings, it will be. observed that the posts I0 are tted with a cap 49 that isremovably attached thereto. If one or all of the posts I0 are to be employed for supporting a lighting xture, the caps 43 are removed and the shaft of the Xture, generally designated by the numeral 50, is slidably mounted within said posts. As is to be understood, any type of overhead fixture may be employed.

What is claimed is:

l. The combination with a column, rest ledges formed on said column, beams resting upon said ledges and horizontally disposed, ears carried by the column and contacting with the beams, keys removably coupling the beams to said ears, and a keeper plate fastened to the column and engaging the keys for holding the same in position and bracing the beams.

2. The combination with a column, rest ledges formed on said column, beams resting upon said ledges and horizontally disposed, ears carried by the column and contacting with the beams, transverse keys removably passing through the beams and the ears, and diagonal keeper plates engaging the inner ends of the keys, and a bolt passing diagonally through the column and the diagonal keeper plate for holding the same against the keys and bracing the beams.

3. The combination with a column, rest ledges formed on said column, beams resting upon said ledges and horizontally disposed, ears carried by the column and contacting with the beams, keys removably passing through the beams and the ears, a diagonal keeper plate having its ends turned at an angle engaging the keys, and a bolt passing through the diagonal keeper plate and the column for holding the keys in position and bracing the beams.

4. The combination with a column, rest ledges formed on said column, beams resting upon said ledges and horizontally disposed, ears projecting outwardly from the column at right angles to each other and contacting with said beams, keys removably coupling the beams to said ears, a diagonal keeper plate having angular turned ends engaging the inner ends of the keys, and a bolt passing transversely through the diagonal keeper plate and through the column for tightly clamping the diagonal keeper plate against the keys for holding the same in position and bracing the beams.

JOHN F. HURLEY. 

